Taking note of issue of child rag pickers, CPCR asks UT civic body to up security

CHANDIGARH COMMISSION for Protection of Child Rights (CCPCR) took a strict note of the issue of rag picking by children on the premises of Dadumajra Dumping Ground and directed the Municipal Corporation Chandigarh to fortify the dumping ground’s boundary, besides taking other measures to forbid children from entering the area.

Raising concern over the safety of underpreviliged children residing in the surrounding areas of dumping ground, the CCPCR asked the MC authorities to implement several suggestions, including repairing the boundary wall of the dumping ground, appointment of security guards, informing the child helpline in case any child is found inside the dumping ground.

The development came after a nodal officer of UT Social Welfare Department conducted a fact-finding probe last week. The CCPCR took up the issue with Medical Officer of Health (MOH), MC, Dr Amrit Pal Singh. The Chief Sanitary Inspector at MC, also appeared before the commission on the behalf of the MoH.

The chairperson of CCPCR Harjinder Kaur said, “We received half a dozen pictures of children rag picking from the piles of garbage inside the dumping ground. The commission take a suo-motto notice. The commission deputed Project Officer, Vikram, for the fact-finding probe last week. The project officer along with two others visited the dumping ground. The team found more than two dozen children, including girls, picking waste material. Most of these children were barefoot and were not wearing gloves. The team members interacted with the children. The team concludes that most of them were never enrolled at any school. The dumping ground is under the MC authority. The Chief Sanitary Inspector appeared before the commission. He gave us an undertaking of fulfilling the recommendations of the commission.”

Project officer, Vikram, said, “I submitted a detailed report with the commission. The children were entering and coming out from the dumping ground without any check.” Sources said, “Apart from instructing the MC to upgrade the security system of the dumping ground, the commission will also take up the issue with the UT education department.”